


For You

by BigDamnReader



Series: Good Ol' Pugilism [3]
Category: Firefly
Genre: AKA My writer's block, During unofficial hiatus, Little one-shot, Pre-Canon, Sorry guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 07:57:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16363943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigDamnReader/pseuds/BigDamnReader
Summary: Simon fought many times before he joined the crew of Serenity. Many were for himself and his gym but sometimes other things were more important. All of them ended with lessons, some more important than others.





	For You

**Author's Note:**

> So hey...guys? Anyone there? I must apologise fantastically to anybody waiting for the second installment in this series; I have had really bad writers block as well as being swamped by schoolwork - terrible excuse I know but...  
> Any way, while I'm still working on the next full installment I thought I would give a little something to hopefully entertain.
> 
> Also, Simon is only about 14 years old in this one and so is not the 'master' he is in other flashbacks

"Why don't you back off Thomas?"

River sniffed, rubbed her red eyes and looked up to stare at the back of a rather familiar waistcoat.  _Simon._ She smiled at the sight of her older brother in front of her. She knew he would stop the bullies; he always did.

"What's it to you Tam? It's good to have a little rough play every once in a while. Really toughens people up y'know? Makes them ready for the  _real_ world."

River didn't like Thomas Maliet, the snub-nosed, pig headed boy from Simon's year. He thought that, just because he was bigger than most, he could push people around and get them to do what he wanted. Even worse, because his father was one of the governor's, nobody ever did anything. It was so unfair! Simon had agreed with her when she had told him the same thing a few weeks ago, after Thomas had pushed over Willy on the slide. 

"That's my sister you Feh Feh Pi Goh."

River gasped: such a comment would surely have earned her brother an ear twist or cane to the hand at home. Thomas didn't look to happy about it either, muscles clenching as he stepped closer to Simon, forcing him to lift his neck to look into the malicious, squinty eyes. Yet strangely, it seemed as though Simon were still looking down at Thomas.

"Watch what you say Tam."

"I don't think I will. Free country and all."

"You're pushing it  _boy."_ The growl from his throat seemed to bellow in the small courtyard. 

"Boy? We're in the same year Thomas. Unless of course you've been held back a few years, owing to that little brain of yours."

River didn't get time to react to Simon's rude - but, in her mind, justified- comments before Thomas roared and leapt at her brother, taking him to the floor with a slam that seemed to rock the ground. Instantly the other children in the school yard came running, familiar yells of 'Fight! Fight!' falling from their lips. Thomas' gang held them back, making sure nobody could help the much smaller Simon. River shouted in anger as she watched the two boys struggle, neither one landing a good hit in the confusion. As soon as it had started, a flurry of teachers came sprinting down the area, pulling the two apart with angry yells and furious shirt tugging. With a final call to disperse, the two were dragged away to the Head's office and River, seeing her brother shooting her a concerned look, gave him a small wave followed by a reprimanding look. He just gave her a small smile as the doors closed behind him.

* * *

After what seemed like an age, the two boys left the Head's office, hands smarting from the punishment. Neither boy had got into much trouble but that didn't make Simon feel better. Thomas had spouted some convoluted story of Simon mistaking innocent play for bullying and the Head had eaten it up like a fish in an aquarium. With every sly smile and wink shot his way, Simon felt the urge to throttle the other boy grow and grow, lessons about restraint trying to cling on before they flew out the window. Now, walking out, Thomas started chuckling and Simon felt his anger boil once more.

"Something funny, Thomas?"

"No Tam, nothing at all. Only...sure was fun seeing you get your knickers in a twist."

"At least I don't look like a pig on steroids."

Thomas stopped dead in the middle of the corridor, shoulders hunching. "You better watch that mouth Tam before I shut it good."

"What's the problem?" He replied, a guilty liking for the mischief stirring within him. "Don't you like a little  _rough play?_ "

Thomas shot towards him and pinned him against the wall with a meaty arm across the throat. Simon went still. For a moment there was only the sound of heavy, angry breathing as the two glared into each others eyes, desperate for some sign of surrender or submission. Thomas growled and leaned in closer. Noses now touching, Simon hardly dared to breathe as blood-shot eyes bored into him. When Thomas spoke, his voice came out quiet and threatening.

"You want rough play? Meet me tonight."

Simon raised his chin, determined not the show fear. "Fine. Where at?"

"The alley behind the _Yen_ diner. Know it?"

"Course I do."

"Then be there, or I'll let your sister know how much of a Go Shi brother you are." With that he snorted in Simon's face and pushed away, stalking down the corridor. Simon watched him leave with narrowed eyes and clenched fists.

* * *

"Simon! Hey ge ge! Simon!"

Simon turned around and found himself with arms full of a noisy River. He laughed carelessly and swung her up to sit on his shoulders, the straps of her bag trailing down. She squealed in delight and clasped her hands around his neck. He waved good-bye to his friends, calling out and replying to the friendly teasing as he crossed the school gates. He could hear River shouting to her friends, telling them she would see them the next day.

"Good day?" He asked, already knowing what she would say.

" _Boring,_ " She said, elongating the 'aw' sound. "Everything is so  _easy_ and all the people are so dull!" 

He chuckled and side-stepped around dog walker. "It can't all be boring!"

"Oh but Simon, it is." She huffed in annoyance and Simon started laughing as the school disappeared behind them. Thoughts of the impending fight slipped also from Simon's mind as he listened to his mei-mei.

"Well, who were those girls you said bye to? If they weren't your friends, then why bother?"

She seemed to pause a moment, considering a suitable answer. He smirked as she took her time, audibly humming and 'ahhing'. She stayed silent (well, relatively) as they walked, bag straps swinging from around his shoulders. No doubt River would have continued to do so if the sudden jarring of her personal transporter hadn't snapped her out of her thought bubble. Simon's grin widened as she cried out in joy, the neon lights of the ice cream shop reflecting in her eyes. He turned to the window and pretended to contemplate the decision.

"I don't know River, we have Ice Cream at home you know..."

"No! Come on pony, onwards!" She tugged at tuffs of his hair, heels kicking in an effort to get him moving.

"Pony! I don't think so."

"Silence pony," she continued, tugging and kicking harder. "You go where I tell you."

He decided to indulge her and was rewarded with a quiet 'good pony'. He set her down before opening the door, watching with amusement as she not-quite-ran towards the bar while the owner, an older woman by the name of Mary Ann, greeted the two by name. She listened with rapt attention as River told her what she wanted in one long breath, a quiet 'please' slipping out with the last of the oxygen. Simon said hello and gave his order more calmly. After only a minute they were handed their respective treats and went to find a seat. 

Holding his vanilla in his hand ("you're so boring Simon." "Hey, classics never go out of style!") he listened half attentively as River told him about her day, around mouthfuls of mint chocolate ice cream. Now sat in the quiet of the shop, Simon couldn't help but think about his position. 

Normally he would be attending his 'extra classes' about now but the gym was closed for minor restorations (following a rather interesting fight between two of the veterans), meaning he could spend time with River. It also meant he could avoid Sam. It was cowardly, he knew, but the thought of having to see his teacher sent him into anxious shivers. The man always had a strange ability to know when something was wrong and the idea of fessing up to the upcoming fight was more than he could bear. Sam would be massively disappointed, always one to follow the 'for defence' rule of fighting. Normally Simon would too but he couldn't just let Thomas get off scot free. It made perfect sense to him but Sam just wouldn't understand. He'd just sigh, say something poignant then partner him off with one of the newer members as a lesson in humility.

He'd made real headway with his fighting recently and was certain he could take Thomas: the boy was all brute strength and no brains. He calculated it wouldn't take too long before he was on his ass, crying as his 'tough guy' image was destroyed. With any luck Thomas would leave River, and the other kids, alone if he was the one at the receiving end.

"Are you even listening?" River's petulant voice snapped him from his arrogant muses. Simon smirked at her and scooped some ice cream from her pot, ignoring her protests.

"Of course I am. You were just talking about science with Mrs Clarkson."

"Well yeah but," she eyed the carved part of her Ice cream with a vengeance, no doubt planning on some revenge. "That's not the point." He just smiled at her and finished his Vanilla. 

* * *

Simon waited until the clock hit Eleven before slowly opening his door and creeping down the corridor, shoes held firmly between pale fingers. His socked feet made no noise, but he paused every few minutes just to make sure nobody had heard him. Hearing no challenge, he moved once again, doing this repeatedly until he reached the front door. With trembling hands he turned the key and pulled it slowly open, praying it would not creek and give the game away. It did not. He let out a breath of relief. Looking behind him a final time, he slipped around the door and closed it with a soft 'click'. He did not see the curious eyes that followed his shadow as he left. 

Putting in his shoes, he ran down the deserted streets as fast as he could. Thomas had not specified a time but Simon didn't want to appear late and so he hustled it all the way to the corner from the  _Yen_ diner. Coming to a sudden halt, he slowed his breathing down before marching his way towards the alley, simultaneously craving and dreading what lay in its shadows. He stood at the mouth of it and peered down, searching for any sign of the other boy. It did not take even a minute before he heard the all-too familiar drone of Thomas' voice. 

"So you finally showed. Thought you would have wimped out."

"Would of been here sooner if your dumbass would have specified a time." He knew it wasn't wise to provoke Thomas but he couldn't seem to help himself. Thomas just laughed and punched his hand with his fist, footfalls echoing around the narrow bricks. 

"We doing this or what?" 

Simon nodded and threw off his jacket, dropping into his stance and watching the quick shot of surprise that flashed across Thomas' face. He instantly dropped it though and scowled, putting his hands up into a clumsy imitation of a boxers guard. 

Thomas came at him with a flurry of wild haymakers that he ducked, springing forward during a gap with a hard back-hand punch to the stomach followed by an elbow to the chin. He stepped back. Thomas just grunted and shook his head. He came at him again, this time with cautious punches. These were easily blocked with the inner arm; The sudden grapple around his neck was not. A knee slammed into his chest, making his own knees wobble. A second one hit, quickly followed by a third. As the fourth rose up he shot his right forearm across the thigh, left fist rising to the groin area. Thomas groaned and pushed him away. Simon moved back, breathing heavy. To his surprise, Thomas straightened back up with a roar, and charged at him, left fist straight out. Simon slid to the left, grabbed the fist with his right hand, arm with his left and, using Thomas' momentum, spun and slammed him into the wall. A boot to the back of the knee sent him crashing to the floor. Simon tried to move closer but a foot shot out and he was forced back to doge it. Thomas pushed himself up and charged again, swinging wildly. One caught him across the lip, snapping his head back. A hand grabbed his shirt and he lashed out with a foot to the shin. The grip loosened and Simon, using the opposite hand, reached over and grabbed the thumb, pulling the hand back. Thomas was forced to bend over, arm extended painfully. A quick front kick to the chest sent him to his knees. 

Simon stepped back as Thomas fell forward on to his hands. Both were breathing heavily. Feeling the fires of victory, Simon moved closer. 

"You stay away from my sister, you got that you _Sher Toh_?"

Thomas just shot to his feet with a yell and try to get him with a sloppy kick that Simon side-stepped. He hit back with a hook punch to the jaw that sent Thomas back to the floor. Anger now at boiling point Simon lashed out with a kick to the stomach. Thomas groaned and seemed to collapse into himself. With a growing feeling of satisfaction, Simon hit him with another punch as Thomas turned to look at him.

Well, tried to.

Strong arms hooked under his as his fist came down, yanking him away. They locked behind his head and a fist sunk into his stomach. He groaned and tried to bend over, the arms stopping him, forcing him up-right. Breathing heavily Thomas pulled himself to his feet, ignoring the hands of his friends as they emerged from the shadows. He wiped blood off his face and spat a tooth to the ground. He chuckled, the sound demented in the narrow, dark alley.

"Nice one Tam. Really, well done. Little Chwen Joo like you, thought you'd collapse at the first hit."

Simon tried to pull away from the arms with a growl, neck muscles tense and feet scrabbling at the ground. "I won Thomas, fair and square. Don't drag it out."

Thomas just shook his head in amusement. "Don't you get it, Tam? This is rough play, the  _real_ stuff. The real world don't have fair and square."

"Lao Tien Fu" He whispered, the gravity of the situation falling on him. 

"Well boys, I think we should teach Tam here about the real world. Come on guys."

Before he could yell for help a rag was shoved in his mouth and he was dragged deeper into the darkness of the alley. 

* * *

River startled awake at the strange sound. She lay in bed, not certain she had actually heard anything until the sound came again. She wondered what it could be. It was a small chinking sound, sort of like a small stone hitting a window....

She raced from her bed and pulled open the curtains. The clock by her bed read 21:42 and the stones outside were being thrown by her brother. Two both very important facts. He had not noticed her yet, two busy trying to find more artillery. He was moving slowly, an arm wrapped around his stomach and his face silhouetted in darkness. She watched him stand back up and pause, swaying where he stood. As he turned, arm raised to throw again, he caught sight of her and dropped the stone, a small smile lighting his pale face. She opened the window and leaned out, listening to his whispers. 

"River, thank goodness. I left the door unlocked but somebody shut it again-"  
"Yes the maid."  
"Right. Could you maybe come and open the back door for me? Please. I'll get you another Ice Cream tomorrow."

She stared at him for a minute, thoughts of Ice Cream not even entering her head. She didn't know exactly how she knew, but she was aware that Simon had done something stupid that night and it had come back to bite him in the Pi Gou. Without another word she snuck away from her room, down the servants staircase and into the conservatory. Simon was stood at the door already, shivering despite the warm night. She faltered at the black eye and split lip. Letting out a shaky breath she grabbed the key from the windowsill and turned it in the lock, moving quickly to the side as Simon hobbled in. 

He let out a pained breath and sank into one of the seats, eyes closing - in pain or relief she didn't know. 

"What happened." Her voice was quiet, the usual curiosity absent from her questioning. Simon didn't answer her, only turned his head away in what she took as shame. "Simon." she said more forcefully. 

He turned his head towards her, the bruises making her flinch. She reached out with a shaky hand but he intercepted her, holding her fingers between his trembling ones. 

"Nothing River. I'm fine."

" _Fine!_ " She hissed, not caring about waking anybody up. Simon tried shushing her but she just yanked her hands away and disappeared through the door to the kitchen. She came back with a large first-aid kit, lid open as she tried to find the necessary supplies.

"River..." her brother groaned. She ignored him and set the box down. She grabbed his chin firmly, rubbing anti-septic on his cut. He wrapped his wrist around hers and pulled her hand away. "River."

"What happened."

"I doesn't matter, I was an idiot, I wasn't thinkin-"

"What. Happened." He stared into her eyes a moment longer. Sighing and dropping his head, he scooted to the edge of the seat and took his hands in hers. 

"I got into a fight-"

"You went looking for a fight you mean." His silence spoke only confirmed it. "With who?"

"....Thomas."

She wanted to hit him. She wanted to yell at him, tell him what an idiot he was. Tell him he didn't need to go off picking fights with bigger people just for her sake. Instead, she just stayed silent and poked and prodded him, receiving various hisses and winces as she did so. Eventually he pulled her hands away and sat her down on his lap, her protesting and struggling all the time. 

"River I'm fine. I'm only bruised, okay? I'm okay, you don't have to worry."

"Why'd you do it?"

"Because he couldn't get away with it anymore River. He shouldn't be able to go around, picking on people and only get a cane to the hand. It's not right."

"No Simon," she replied, her voice coming from someone wiser than her years. "Why does that mean you have to fight him? You're not a violent person and you're not an idiot either. There are much better ways of doing this."

"I know River, I know." They sat in silence, both taking comfort in the other. It could have been hours, or maybe only a few minutes that they sat in the chair. Time seemed to still. Eventually, bored by the silence as she was by most things, River piped up, her voice now sleepy as the late time caught up with her.

"Did you hit him?"

She felt him chuckle through his chest. "Yes River, I hit him."

"Good. Just a make sure next time it doesn't come to fists."

"Okay."

"Promise me."

"Pinkie promise." 

* * *

A few weeks later, following rude emails to teachers signed personally by Thomas Maliet flaunting his father's position, the boy in question was expelled. The whole school watched as, tears falling down his face, he claimed not to know anything about any emails. Everyone knew he was lying and it was with great relief that they watched him escorted from the grounds. For years Thomas Maliet had no idea of where the emails had come from.

River Tam, on the other hand, did. 


End file.
